The Last Anima
by Sailor Titan
Summary: Having watched all of the anima senshi fall to Galaxia, the Knight of Wan debates whether to surrender... or die fighting.


"She's taken every one of the anima planets so far," Sirius said darkly, sitting down on a bench in the halls of Wan castle. "It's only a matter of time."

"You can't be serious," Gytrash said. He was big and shaggy, almost more beast than dog--if it weren't for his rather unthreatening floppy lips. His eyes were full of fear and concern as he looked at the guardian of their planet. Sirius--or Black Striker, his alias--was the only knight of their system, and it was his duty to protect the female Sailor Senshi with his life or die trying. A duty he had failed at, as each of their sailor crystals were stolen one at a time by Galaxia's servants.

"At least if I surrender, I will be with them." He held his mask in front of him--black and gold, painted like the face of a wolf--and threw it to the ground. "What is the meaning of this power if I cannot protect them? If I cannot be with them?"

"You have to protect Wan now," Gytrash said. "If you surrender, there is no future for you--for this planet. She will take away your Sailor Crystal and you will die. Everyone on this planet will die. Just because those--fake senshi--have anima Sailor Crystals does not make them the anima senshi. They are cheap copies of what should be."

"They may be cheap copies, but I am little better than them if I can't protect the guardians of this solar system. As a knight….I am just a cheap replacement for a sailor senshi myself."

"No…" Gytrash said. "I refuse to believe it." He picked up the mask in his mouth and brought it to his master. Sirius took the mask unenthusiastically. "Don't give up, your majesty. You are the Black Striker…the knight and protector of this planet."

***

The Black Striker gasped for breath as he wiped the blood of another dead man off of his scimitar. "I'll never defeat everyone," he said hopelessly. "Galaxia's troops are endless."

Gytrash looked up at him sadly, his fur coat caked with blood. he shook his head. He had to inspire his master. "We can take them! Even among those Galaxia's troops who have Sailor Crystals have stolen them from other people. You were born with your power, Black Striker. Surely we can defeat this enemy."

The Black Striker sheathed his sword and turned to Gytrash. "I have to surrender. If I don't, I know Galaxia will kill everyone on Wan. Maybe if I give up my star seed willingly, she'll take mercy on our people."

"No, Black Striker!" Gytrash said. "You can't!"

"It's already over, Gytrash!" he snapped. "I'm a knight, not a sailor senshi. I may have a sailor crystal, but it's shine is dull next to their brilliance. It's just a matter of time."

The Black Striker ripped off a piece of his cloak, which was a brilliant white against the rest of his ebony armor. He grabbed a halberd from a dead soldier nearby and tied the cape to the pole.

"What are you doing?" Gytrash cried.

"Ending this insanity," he replied.

"You can't," Gytrash said. "You can't."

"I can and I am!" Black Striker shouted, picking up the pole arm.

Gytrash growled as he watched his master. He would not let it end this way. He dove toward the Black Striker and pinned him to the ground; he opened his jaws and his bright white teeth--normally hidden beneath his floppy jowls--showed a terrible white. The Black Striker tried to shove him off but the dog was immense.

"G-Gytrash!" he said, "what are you doing?!"

"If we give up your Sailor Crystal, Galaxia is one step closer to conquering this universe," he said. "Even though you are my lord, I will kill you before I see Wan's star seed in her hands."

Black Striker stared at his guardian, remembering the wind as it blew through Sailor Coronis' long, dark hair. "Do it," he said at last. "Do it, if you are certain that it is right. There is nothing left for me here." To show his seriousness, he unhinged the armor that covered his stomach.

Gytrash paused for a long moment, his resolve wavering. No…it had to be done. He bore his jaws and ripped open Black Striker's stomach, spraying his blood and gore across the floor. It was a hideous and painful sight, and Gytrash could feel tears in his eyes, but his master did not even flinch. The beautifully shining golden star seed of Wan was before him; Gytrash crunched it between his jaws and swallowed. Immediately he could feel the power of Wan flowing through him. His eyes glowed and his teeth sharpened, and he became more wolf than dog. He knew at that moment that his act had tainted him, but he could not let himself die and end the self-loathing that rose like bile in his throat. He was little more than a jar for Wan's star seed, a vehicle that it resided in, and once the golden Queen found him, she found Wan's sailor crystal as well.

No, he must leave…go far away from this place, from Galaxia. He felt the power to move through the universe within him, the power that the sailor crystal granted him. Now that he had the star seed, It was as easy as being a bird in the afternoon sky.

And so he ran--far away, never to return.


End file.
